During her nearly three decades in the snowy wilderness of the Teton Range, Grizzly No. 399 has become a beloved bear, with millions of park visitors following her annual adventures and her ever-growing family tree.

Nature lovers are mourning the matriarch of the world-renowned bear family after she was fatally struck by a vehicle on a highway in western Wyoming on October 22. Dozens of people braved the cold weather in the quaint ski town of Jackson on Saturday night to attend a candlelight vigil watched by about 1,300 people online.

Wildlife guide Bo Weldon told the gathering that the community would “ping-pong through the stages of grief” but that was what they had to do, despite the difficulties.

“We’re horrified and heartbroken by this, but we’re here together,” Weldon said as attendees huddled in the wet, cold rain.

A PBS documentary crowned the 28-year-old grizzly “Queen of the Tetons,” and an Instagram account dedicated to her has amassed more than 60,000 followers. She was known for frequenting the touristy spots and roadsides of Grand Teton National Park and became an ambassador for her species and a symbol for people working to conserve America’s public lands.

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Named after the tag researchers applied to her ear, No. 399 was the oldest known breeding female in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem. She has been credited with helping the region’s grizzly population rebound from just over 100 in the 1970s to about 1,000 today.

She has had 18 known litters in eight litters over the years, and some have been spotted with their litters.

Her ashes were spread this week in the Pilgrim Creek area of ​​Grand Teton National Park, where she spent much of her life, park officials said.

Master of Ceremonies Jacob Krank told how he first came across the number 399 when he drove into the park to explore it 13 years ago. Suddenly she saw “this beautiful grizzly bear” on the road with her two cubs. He was so close she could hear his breathing and paws scraping the ground.

“She looked right at me, right in the eye. It was such a profound experience,” he said. “It was like, ‘Welcome home.’ Where have you been all this time?”

Krank said the ceremony was held in response to popular demand. When number 399 died, people started posting questions on social media and asking at The Mangelsen Images of Nature Gallery in Jackson, where Krank works, which features photos by Thomas Mangelsen, one of the best-known bear photographers.

Attendees observed a moment of silence and listened to a rendition of Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” as they tried to keep the wind and rain from blowing out their candles.

“399 will always be a part of this special place,” Chip Jenkins, Superintendent of Grand Teton National Park, said in a statement. “However, there is more work to be done to ensure that her descendants and all grizzly bears continue to thrive in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem. It’s up to all of us to make sure they do.”

Grizzlies have teetered on the endangered species list. They remain federally protected, but some state officials in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho have sought to remove federal protections as their populations have rebounded. States want to regain management of grizzlies and allow limited hunting.

Conservationists say the species still needs protection because food shortages caused by climate change have driven grizzlies away from their habitats in search of food.

On his Tetons tours, wildlife guide Jack Bayles said he often draws attention to barren elm bushes affected by rising temperatures, which he said could help explain why no. hit. Grizzlies must eat almost non-stop in the fall to store enough fat to sustain their winter hibernation.

A one-year-old male cub, known informally as ‘Rowdy’ or ‘Spirit’, was number 399 when he was killed and has not been found for nearly two weeks since.

“There is no indication that he was hit in the collision,” said Joe Szuszwalak of the US Fish & Wildlife Service. “Given the age of the bear and the time of year, the yearling has a good chance of surviving independently and there are no current plans to capture it.”

On average, about three grizzlies are killed in vehicle collisions in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem each year, according to data collected by researchers and released by the park. No. 399 was the second grizzly killed in the region by a vehicle this year.

The law enforcement officers declared that the bear’s death was an accident. The driver was not speeding and was not injured.